Books on Sri Lanka that require re-printing

The current generation of policy makers, administrators, academics and others can benefit from having access to several relevant books published in the past and now out of print. I refer in particular to three books which I am familiar with.

Prof. H.A. de. S. Gunasekera’s “From Dependent Currency to Central Banking in Ceylon – An Analysis of Monetary Experience 1825-1957” was first written as a thesis for his Ph.D, at the London School of Economics. Many Sri Lankan post-graduate students have been at the LSE, but rarely has a thesis been published by the LSE itself.

This book was published in the 1960’s by G. Bell & Co. who were the publishers for the LSE at that time. The book offers us a history of banking and currency in Ceylon until the mid-1950s. During this period we had the strong link with the Indian rupee. The Ceylon rupee was then equal to the Indian Rupee in value.

The Central Bank was established in 1950, Ceylon looked more at the American model instead of the British one, an unusual occurrence when most institutions in Ceylon were modelled on British lines. The Central Bank reaches 75 years of age next year. It would be most appropriate if the Central Bank could arrange for its history to be written by an independent academic.

The next book I wish to refer to is “Pioneer Peasant Colonization in Ceylon by B.H. Farmer”, published by the Oxford University Press in 1957. It is a superb analysis of the opening up of the Dry Zone by the government of Ceylon, beginning in the late 1920s and especially during the period of the State Council (1931-1947). Nearly a couple of million acres were opened up in the Dry Zone under small, medium and large irrigation schemes.

This whole process of development was undertaken by a few government departments (Surveys, Irrigation, Land Settlement, Land Commissioners, Land Development). These departments observed the Financial Regulations of that time. There was hardy any corruption in implementing this programme. Opening up of the Dry Zone is a much larger undertaking than the Mahaweli Scheme. One has to read B.H. Farmer’s book to obtain a better understanding of the details of this enterprise.

The third book I wish to refer to is “Caste and Family in the Politics of the Sinhalese, 1947-1976”, authored by Janice Jiggins. She was a Briton, later a Professor of one of the Universities in the Netherlands. The book was first written as a thesis for her Ph.D. at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. It was supervised by Prof. K.M. De Silva of the Department of History, Peradeniya. The thesis was published by the Cambridge University Press. Later it was re-printed by K.V.G. De Silva in Sri Lanka (that company no longer exists).

The caste system was an important factor in Sri Lankan politics in the period 1931-1977. Janice Jiggins looks at how the Westminster model adjusted to the caste system. During this period there were three, four or five so-called hegemonic castes. There were many other caste groups which were not considered equal.

The demarcation of electorates by Delimitation Commissions, took account of the caste factor. Jiggins in her book foresaw the decline of the role of the hegemonic castes, especially after the effects of universal franchise came to be felt. (Universal franchise was established in 1931). Jiggins’ book has a strong relevance to the understanding of political and constitutional developments in Sri Lanka, today.

In re-printing these books, relevant institutions will have to take the initiative in obtaining the required permission. H.A. de S. Gunasekera’s volume should most relevantly be re-printed by the Central Bank. There are other appropriate institutions in Sri Lanka who could consider the other two volumes for re-printing.

Leelananda De Silva